Jeff Conway – Contributor
He might just be the quintessential face of adolescence when it comes to iconic ‘80s movies, but today, actor Anthony Michael Hall is fully grown and squaring off up on the big screen with another nostalgic Michael – Michael Myers.
Hall, 53, plays Tommy Doyle in Halloween Kills, a recurring survivor in the beloved Halloween film franchise for this latest installment, which opens on Friday. This will be the first time Hall has portrayed Doyle on-screen, and he believes his character is a worthy adversary against the unpredictable, masked killer.
“I think Tommy’s a fighter,” Hall shares with me at Forbes. “It’s a very heroic character. That was one of the things that took me by surprise when I started working with [director] David [Gordon Green]. I think it’s a great role and I got that from David right away. I really loved it. This is really exciting for me. The movie just kicks ass.”
With Halloween Kills having its central heroine Jamie Lee Curtis once again leading the charge, Hall can relate all too well to Curtis in many ways, as they both have experienced the highs and lows of growing up in Hollywood. Today, Hall has nothing but kind words to say about his Halloween Kills co-star and the horror genre’s reigning scream queen.
“She’s just great man,” Hall says of Curtis. “She’s got a great energy. She’s very maternal, very loving, very protective of people, someone that I think has really digested the lessons of her life, be it her career, her family life, all of it. She really has this ‘Earth Mama’ kind of vibe to her, you know what I mean? She really cares about people, so that’s what really comes through. I see it too, even when we’re promoting this film. She’s just very supportive and encouraging.”
To many, Hall is best known for being a major part of the coveted “Brat Pack” group of young actors in memorable ‘80s films, often playing the likable geek in popular John Hughes films including Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, and The Breakfast Club.
Hughes, the celebrated writer & director behind films that continue to speak to generation after generation of misunderstood teenagers, died in 2009 at the age of 59. However, to the surprise of most (if not all), Hall tells me that there was some early talk about a sequel to 1985’s The Breakfast Club between Hall, Hughes, and another comedic movie star gone far too soon.
“The last time I got to speak with John, he called me in 1987 with John Candy on the phone, the legend,” Hall reveals to me. “So, I sat on the phone with these guys for like two and a half hours and I will tell you that it was in John’s thinking, he really was playing with the idea of seeing us all like in our early middle-age all those years later. At the time, I was only 20. It was only five years after I worked with him, but it was something he was playing with.”
Now more than three decades later, Hall continues to have the utmost gratitude for Hughes, who catapulted his early acting career into bonafide stardom. “I always tip my hat to John Hughes. Had it not been for him, I would not be on the phone with you, I would not have a career. He was just the greatest. He was like a big brother. I loved him. What he did for me, he did for Molly [Ringwald], and he did for a whole generation of us. I wouldn’t be here without John.”
When moviegoers are able to see Hall back up on the big screen this weekend in Halloween Kills, they will have waited an entire year longer for this moment to finally arrive. Due to the early Covid-19 pandemic, the film’s original release date was moved from October 16, 2020 to October 15, 2021, with an expected final chapter to the franchise with Halloween Ends currently scheduled for an October 14, 2022 release. Like many major studio films this year, Universal Pictures will give audiences the option to see Halloween Kills in theaters or stream it on the Peacock video streaming service, a setup in which Hall openly supports.
“I think that these new 45-day windows and these adjustments that you see with these hybrid releases, I think it’s evolution. I think it’s a good thing because I think that what we’ve seen is that we all miss these social experiences. Going to a game, going to a concert, going to the movies. So, I don’t think it will ever go away. If anything, I think it has made people even hungrier for that moviegoing experience, so I’m all for it. I look at the numbers of like Venom 2 and No Time To Die and it’s very encouraging because the box office numbers are really spiking up again. I’m very hopeful for Halloween Kills.”
Following his on-screen match-up against Michael Myers, Hall can next be seen in The Class, which he says is not a remake of The Breakfast Club, but more so a new film’s re-imagining of his popular coming-of-age film. He can also soon be seen co-starring alongside Jessica Alba in a new Netflix film titled Trigger Warning. As Hall’s acting career continues on full speed ahead, I had to ask him what he would say to his former self, first starting out in Hollywood, knowing everything he has seen and experienced in his life & career up to now.
“I would say stay humble and work hard and keep your head down, you know, eyes on the road because I’ve been through a lot man and it’s a challenging industry. You have to have a thick skin, that’s one thing. You have to have a certain level of determination. The things I would’ve said to myself could have really helped. Had I known then what I know now and I think I have learned that over time. So the idea of just maintaining a sense of humility, working hard, and just being in it for the long haul.”
https://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/press5.png640960adminhttps://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/amh-logo1a.pngadmin2021-10-15 17:05:532021-10-15 17:05:53Anthony Michael Hall Talks ‘Halloween Kills’ And ‘The Breakfast Club’ Sequel That Almost Was
Tommy Doyle swings a big bat in Halloween Kills, determined to capture and kill infamous Haddonfield boogeyman Michael Myers. Anthony Michael Hall steps into the iconic role of Tommy, commanding the screen with a menacing presence that is sometimes scarier than the evil lurking underneath that iconic William Shatner mask. We recently caught up with Mike Hall to talk about his role in the latest Halloween sequel, which picks up directly where the last installment left off.
While Michael Myers is blazing through an army of firemen after escaping the fiery hell that has become the Strode home, Mike Hall’s Tommy Doyle is on stage at the local bar, recanting his tale of survival from over 40 years ago during a Halloween open mic night. It isn’t long before Tommy hears the news that Michael Myers is back on the streets of his home town, in the midst of a gruesome slaughter that has already claimed several victims. Picking up what is sure to become an iconic piece of Halloween lore, Doyle removes the bat from the back wall of the bar, becoming the de facto leader for a mob of angry locals who literally want to torch Michael Myers and erase him from existence.
Tommy Doyle swings a big bat in Halloween Kills, determined to capture and kill infamous Haddonfield boogeyman Michael Myers. Anthony Michael Hall steps into the iconic role of Tommy, commanding the screen with a menacing presence that is sometimes scarier than the evil lurking underneath that iconic William Shatner mask. We recently caught up with Mike Hall to talk about his role in the latest Halloween sequel, which picks up directly where the last installment left off.
While Michael Myers is blazing through an army of firemen after escaping the fiery hell that has become the Strode home, Mike Hall’s Tommy Doyle is on stage at the local bar, recanting his tale of survival from over 40 years ago during a Halloween open mic night. It isn’t long before Tommy hears the news that Michael Myers is back on the streets of his home town, in the midst of a gruesome slaughter that has already claimed several victims. Picking up what is sure to become an iconic piece of Halloween lore, Doyle removes the bat from the back wall of the bar, becoming the de facto leader for a mob of angry locals who literally want to torch Michael Myers and erase him from existence.
Anthony Michael Hall steps in for original Halloween actor Brian Andrews, who portrayed Tommy Doyle as a young school boy in the 1978 John Carpenter classic. When the casting was first announced, many wondered why Brian Andrews wasn’t returning to the franchise, unlike his counterpart Kyle Richards, who does reprise her iconic role as Lindsey Wallace in Halloween Kills. Murmurs that Andrews wouldn’t return rattled the fanbase. Until they learned that Hall was stepping into the role. Perhaps he was one of the few actor who would be embraced by the otherwise prickly, hardcore Halloween fans. Mike Hall’s presence in the movie came with a buzz of energy and excitement around it that is warranted.
Anthony Michael Hall is nothing short of a Hollywood legend. He starred in some of the ’80s biggest hit movies. And is fondly remembered for his collaborations with John Hughes that include National Lampoon’s Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Weird Science. He has also worked with Tim Burton, portraying the fan favorite role of Jim in Edward Scissorhands, and he appeared in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, playing DC Comics character Mike Engle. Genre fans are especially fond of Mike Hall for his work in the hugely popular TV series The Dead Zone. He more recently appeared on The Goldbergs.
So despite Brian Andrews not returning to the role of Tommy Doyle, fans welcomed Mike Hall into the Halloween franchise with open arms. We talk with the iconic actor about that aspect of making this long anticipated sequel. We also touch on his work with John Hughes, and his feelings towards a possible Edward Scissorhands reboot.
It seems like everybody working on these new Halloween movies are such huge fans of the franchise. When you come in, and you have this iconic baseball bat…Do you get to keep that? Or do these Blumhouse guys scramble to steal that from you and take it for their own collection?
Mike Hall: (Laughs) Props reclaims everything. There’s my quote. Yeah, you gotta give stuff back. But I was honored. I was on it. It was an idea that [director David Gordon Green] came up with and…I don’t want to get into any spoilers, but it was it was great. It was great.
I know some of the dudes that worked on this movie. I bet money they went back into the props room and stole that bat.
Mike Hall: That’s why I made sure props had it. ‘All right. Good!’ Once the crew has it back in their hands, they’re good.
The Halloween fan base is so intense. And crazy. And here you are, taking over a role that many people wanted to see occupied by the original actor.
Mike Hall: So crazy.
The hardcore fans were a little upset that Brian Andrews was getting replaced. But they did a three-sixty when they heard you had been cast as Tommy. They got really excited. You are one of the few actors that could have pulled that off, getting embraced within this longstanding legacy.
Mike Hall: Thanks man, that’s great to hear. I appreciate it. No, listen, I’m excited, part of what’s been so cool for me, in this two year wait, and there’s an extra year of waiting, because we did the movie in 2019, right? It was like from last September to this October, it’s just learning that, tuning into the fan base. Watching reaction videos and fan-based sites on Youtube and reading and learning how big it is. It’s incredible. It is a massive fan base and it’s…It can be compared, if anything, to, like the Star Wars or the Star Trek franchise, right? Just beloved. Part of what’s been fun for me is learning that. And kind of getting hip and educated on the universe of all these films. Because as you know, Halloween fans are very specific, man. They’ll tell you straight up what worked, what didn’t. They know all the details of the props and the masks. You know what I mean? As it’s all evolved and that’s incredible. That kind of love for it is incredible. So that’s my biggest takeaway from this…Is that excitement, I feel I’ve never been more pumped to be a part of a movie. And also to know that there’s an audience waiting. That anticipation is awesome, you know, it’s just a great feeling.
I’m such a huge fan of your work myself. It was great to see you shake up this franchise, and have people get excited that Mike Hall is back as this bat-swinging badass.
Mike Hall: I appreciate it, I appreciate it. I’m just glad to be a part of it, you know? And I think another huge take away for me was just seeing the artistry, and how cool David Gordon Green was and Jamie Lee, Danny McBride, the whole team, Jason Blum. The whole crew that they have, that’s been with Danny and David for years. It was just a real pleasure, because you’re dealing with total pros. But there was also that added level of excitement and passion and everybody knew that this one mattered, because obviously the 2018 movie was a huge success. And we want to keep improving. So, it was incredible. That buzz was electric and you could feel that on the set. Even with people that had already worked on previous versions of it. That was awesome, very tangible too.
I don’t want to pinpoint which sequels fans don’t like so much. But coming in and building something new, and knowing that it sticks around forever. These movies do not go away. Some have cool kills, but the story surrounding it might not be that great. Here, you guys had an opportunity to really come in and craft something special that stands outside of the kills. Take the slasher element away, and we still want to spend time with Tommy Doyle.
Mike Hall: Those are very valid points. I hear that. And fans are very vocal about all these aspects that you are articulating. I also feel like it…Just hats off to David Gordon Green, because the guy is amazing. If you look back, and think of these shows that he and Danny did, how funny they were. And yet the production values were like a good movie or top looking tv show right? So they’ve always been excellent. They’re dealing with comedy. The fact that they could go so effortlessly into this, and then that movie made $255 million dollars. It was just a great reimagining of it. Yet they were loyal to the things that fans wanted to see with Laurie and her family. The story’s obviously of that family and the whole thing with the myth of Myers. What he represents to the people. So there was that healthy respect for the work. And I could feel that every day. That’s cool, because it’s like being on a great team when you’re a kid, right? You’re playing baseball, you’re on a basketball team. You want to feel that level of excitement from the teammates. So that was a big added bonus too, in this case, because that was all built in. People all really felt that on set.
You get to build a character that can stand outside of the Halloween franchise, if that makes sense. Like, if we’re watching Tommy Doyle in a movie where Michael Myers doesn’t show up, we’re still going to be invested and centered on what Tommy’s story is.
Mike Hall: Well, that’s the thing, too….I want to speak to that. That’s a great point, because it reminds me of the bigger thing that they pulled off. Which is brilliant. How they were able to thread it from 1978 to 2018. It’s incredible how they threaded that to the present. And now, you’ll see this universe expands with all these beloved characters from the ’78 version. But what’s awesome is, he makes room for those characters and others. There is a couple. A doctor and a nurse who are very intrinsic to the opening. There’s a bar owner played by Brian Mays, who’s actually a bar owner from Austin, Texas, that runs with David. So the very kind of Fellini way David cast him as the bar owner in the movie, right? He puts him in, and he’s awesome. When you see the film, you love that guy. That’s the thing I loved about David, Danny and Scott, what they’re writing. They effortless do that, right? They kind of expand on the core group, reintroduced the returning characters, and also introduce others. It’s really cool, because it’s all for the benefit of the timeline of the story, Right? So it doesn’t slow anything up. It makes it better.
You brought up something about the bartender. Have you ever seen {Snow Angels?
Mike Hall: No. Is that something he was in?
Well, no…David Gordon Green directed that….
Mike Hall: Ok, I haven’t seen that one.
He has a bartender in there, who’s walking around in the background, through several shots and just for fun…David Gordon Green has him dressed up as Freddy Krueger.
Mike Hall: Oh, that’s awesome.
Yeah, that’s the funny thing…It’s a heavy drama with a little bit of humor in it, maybe. But it’s not a horror movie by any stretch. So why does it have horror Easter eggs? He did it just for fun.
Mike Hall: He did it for whoever was watching that person in the background, right? Like, this is another point I want to make. You did remind me of what I didn’t expect. In other words, he is just a brilliant writer, a great collaborator. When you’re working with a guy like that, who has a natural joy, like he’s always laughing and smiling…David has that great ability to keep moving, keep it flowing. He takes other people’s ideas. He collaborates. He builds upon that. He doesn’t personalize it or get offended. You know what I mean? But he also sticks to the vision of what he’s doing. So this one was just incredible, because it was just like a thrill ride, start to finish, the making of the movie. I don’t want to give anything away, but it just goes all-out for an hour and 45 minutes.
I was shocked when I saw the trailer they released. Because it is non-stop. And it seemingly gives so much away.
Mike Hall: Yeah, I’ve seen them all. That was the one about two months ago, right?
Yes. The trailer reveals so many big kills in its three-minute runtime.
Mike Hall: But that’s the thing, that’s what you just said…You just hit the nail on the head. Exactly, there’s still so much more to come.
I want to bring up Danny McBride, the way he writes dialogue. He’s like Quentin Tarantino or Woody Allen. It is so much his voice. Like when you hear an actor doing Woody Allen dialogue, it sounds like Woody Allen. Danny McBride has that same kind of voice in his writing. You just know that’s him speaking no matter whose mouth it is coming out of.
Mike Hall: That is very interesting. A very cool compliment. Yeah, I guess so, because you know what? I found it very effortless. I think the way they write as a team, David and Danny…But you know, first of all…I’m a huge Danny fan. I’ve always loved this guy. And the work those two have done together. Eastbound and Down. Vice Principals. I really love those shows. I was so stoked to work with Danny. You’re right. I think that there absolutely is a really naturalistic kind of rhythm and fun, to sit there and…Obviously you always see the humor. They’re always able to put that in there as well. One of the things I wanted to convey to you…It’s just that I’m so pumped in being a part of this franchise. But at the same time, like, the anticipation for this movie? It’s such a huge thing that there is this energy for it. You know what I mean? That people are looking forward to it. I’m really pumped because it’s just not stopping. And I’m really proud of what David did. I think it really is, like Jamie’s called it Number Two. I think it’s a masterpiece. Because, you see that there is a balance of all the elements that we’ve discussed. The myth of Myers, what people expect from him pacing the action. It’s all there with this movie. At the same time, they allow it to be an ensemble actress film, too. That’s where they’re incredible. They carve out all of those plans, even within the context of this movie and its theme, you know? Well, it’s incredible.
I’ve done a little bit of my own research. This is true. I’m not just saying it because I am on the phone with you. But a lot of people who, perhaps, aren’t too into horror movies, are excited to go see Halloween Kills solely because you are one of the main players in it.
Mike Hall: Oh, that’s nice. That’s nice. I welcome that. That’s a nice compliment. I hope so. But people should just experience the thrill ride.}
I’ve heard numerous people go, ‘Anthony Michael Hall is in that? I’m definitely going to see that.’ People love you, Mike Hall.
Mike Hall: That makes me feel great. Thanks, buddy. Thank you. Well, that’s like, it just reminds me of like…Even though I just saw the movie with my wife privately…I don’t want to give anything away…But it’s just such a fun ride. And I left the theater thinking…And we’re both looking at each other, like, “Wasn’t that like coming off a roller coaster?” You know? That’s like…What the hell just happened? I didn’t know I needed that.
Halloween Ends is gearing up to shoot in the new year. I suppose you can’t even give us a hint at what to expect from that? Are you coming back? Will we see Tommy Doyle again?
Mike Hall: Sir. Unfortunately. I can’t. I have a sacred contract with Mr. Blum, David and Danny and everybody, so I wouldn’t do that. Yeah, I’m not allowed to.
You, along with Kyle Richards, and a few of the other characters. We don’t want to see you guys knocked out. We want the OGs to return for the third and final chapter.
Mike Hall: I plead the fifth. Unfortunately I can’t comment on any of that. But it’s just…It was awesome. Like I said, it was awesome to work with them. And there really was that vibe on set, like we talked about. You know, and then the other thing too…It’s just the excitement of being a part of something that people are looking forward to. It’s great, because they will not be put out, it’s going to be cool.
Speaking on the subject of legacy sequels, and working with john Hughes…The fact that there was already a TV show of Weird science…Has there ever been any talks about doing a Weird Science legacy sequel where Lisa comes back into Gary and Wyatt’s lives?
Mike Hall: Not, not that. But I’ll tell you something that’s interesting. When I was a kid still, I was 19…And 1987 was the last time, unfortunately, that I got to speak with John Hughes. He called me with john Candy on the phone. And what happened was about an hour and a half conversation. Which was just awesome. As you can imagine. I’m just listening to both of them. Oh yeah, they called me. I was just blown away that these guys called me. So, we’re kind of like hanging out on the phone basically. And they made me laugh. They were so funny. Full stories. It was just really great. But one of the things that did come up, was john mentioned doing a sequel to The Breakfast Club at that time that. I can be transparent about that, because that did happen. And I think he…The only thing I remember him saying is, he thought it would be interesting to see them in their early middle age. You know? And where they kind of wound up. So here I sit at 53, I’m looking up at John, like, ‘Wow.’ That was amazing, you know? And the fact is, even though I was such a kid, I was only a pup, I was 15, 16 working with John. But the fact that he was only in his early mid-thirties? He was so accomplished and such a cool guy. That’s the thing I like people to know about. He was just such a great guy. That work was so much fun. You know? I mean, it just kept it fun as the director, which was great.
When I see how much he accomplished by his 30s, I am blown away. It is so inspiring and always takes my breath away.
Mike Hall: I agree. Me too, because I reflect on it now that I’m…You know, this age, 53, it’s amazing.
There’s not a lot of footage of him working on set with you, is there? Not that we’ve ever seen.
Mike Hall: No, but I can just define it for you. I mean, he was…Here’s how he was…He always wore high-tops every day. He’s always casual, you know? He always was kind of smoking cigarettes between takes, but he had great conversations with us all. He really took the time to develop the characters. And you know, that’s something like a cliche, when actors talk about directors, who are great directors…But he really did care that much. Like, he carved out time for us to rehearse, which also meant time for us just to talk about each other’s work, and the characters, and what we were doing as a team, you know? So, he did a lot of really cool sort of interpersonal things that I consider talent right there. God given abilities to collaborate, to be that open and at the same time, get so much out of people. Because he was already giving us all so much. But he would get that much more from us because he was just very inclusive in his thinking and allowing good things to happen, or allowing you seem to be funnier adding something, you know? So you always had that kind of spirit. Which was really impressive. And then it just had a great effect on all his work?
Do you think its a little too precious to go back now and do The Breakfast Club 2 as a true legacy sequel? Was there any evidence that he wrote any of that, in script form or notes, or just an outline?
Mike Hall: I don’t know that answer, but I know that he left hundreds of notebooks behind. John was very accomplished. Even when we were doing The Breakfast Club, all I can tell you…A quick story….He came to me. We’re about two weeks into it, and we’re on a break in the hallway. ‘I started working on something last night.’ I’m thinking, ‘What?’ Because we’re working 12 hour days. So the night before on The Breakfast Club, he started and wrote the first act of Weird Science. He wrote like 30 pages after we wrapped, and he went home, that was amazing. You know, so very prolific? The other thing I would tell you about his writing, which is really, I think indicative of something cool, but as artists and creative people that we should aspire to, is the idea of maintaining inspiration. So his writing room in their house, it was like just a bedroom. But it was really wall to ceiling, ceiling to floor , in12in records. It was like a record storage, and then there’s the corner by the window, with his old desk top where he would write. So the idea is that he surrounded himself with music, and wrote all those cues and kind of really, he cultivated such a good awareness of music and how to apply it to film. The universal gave him a label at that time. So he had a huge music collection, and the record label because he was really great and very talented with hiring great music coordinators, music producers, putting together great soundtracks for the film and that was always kind of written into it. And then he would add upon it, which was cool.
Further speaking about legacy sequels, along the lines of Halloween Ends and Halloween Kills…I know Timothy Chalamet did the Edward Scissorhands commercial. There was so much buzz afterwards, about him coming in and being Edward Scissorhands…Has there ever been any talk about you guys all coming back to do Edward Scissorhands 2?
Mike Hall: No. But there’s another guy. Tim Burton is up there. And also Christopher Nolan. Tim Burton, another total genius. Like, I love to work with that guy. I’ve never heard anything about that….But as you know, he and Depp went on to make another seven movies together or whatever. I love Tim Burton. I mean, I think he’s a true genius, because he has a real signature, right? Like his films only looked like his films. Very, so, absolutely, yeah. So, I love that idea. Timothy Chalamet is a very talented young man. He’s a very terrific actor. I’m sure he could do.
Did you see this commercial he did?
Mike Hall: I did. I thought that was fun. Yeah, it was cool. They don’t need my old ass in there.
Fans want the real deal. If they do Edward Scissorhands 2, fans definitely want Mike Hall and Winona Ryder back.
Mike Hall: You’re very kind. I’m ready, man. I’ll tell you this quick story, which is great. I worked with Danny Trejo on this western about 10 years ago in Romania. It was called Dead in Tombstone? Right? With this really interesting, talented European director named Roel Reiné. He was great. Anyway, one thing Danny said one day…He was great. We’re just shooting the shit before shooting, sitting outside the trailer, you know? Danny says, ‘I’m like a mechanic. I go where the work is?’ That’s awesome. Because that resonates with me. Because I’ve always had the same outlook, you know? You’re very blessed for whatever you get to work on as an actor. I feel very fortunate that I’ve had a long run. It’s hard work. And it’s always an uphill battle, because you’re kind of hand to mouth year round. But you never really rely on anything. So to that extent, it makes you work hard, because it’s really the work in-between the jobs. That’s the work, just maintaining and staying present. Accessing things, and working for projects, you know, that kind of stuff. So it’s all good. It’s all been a good development for me personally, in my career. So I look at it, this is like another level, because I’ve never been more pumped about a movie. This is pretty cool.
https://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/press4.jpg420798adminhttps://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/amh-logo1a.pngadmin2021-10-15 16:51:102021-10-15 16:51:10Anthony Michael Hall Talks Halloween Kills and His Showdown with Michael Myers [Exclusive]
With director David Gordon Green’s and producer Jason Blum’sHalloween Kills opening in theaters this weekend and also streaming for free on Peacock, the other day I got to speak with Kyle Richards, Judy Greer, and Anthony Michael Hall about making the sequel. During the interview, they talked about what fans would be surprised to learn about the making of Halloween Kills, why Michael Myers and the Halloween franchise has been popular with so many people for so long, if any of the brutal kills were too much for them, and more. In addition, Richards talks about what it was like filming a scene with alligator handlers in the water and how she was warned to be on the lookout for snakes.
In the sequel, which starts right as the last film ends, we are back in the town of Haddonfield and dealing with the aftermath of the events of 2018’s Halloween, which saw Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), her daughter Karen (Greer), and her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) narrowly escaping the clutches of Michael Myers. As they are rushing to the hospital to get Laurie Strode medical treatment, the fire department is rushing to her home to put out the blaze, which leads them to unintentionally set Myers free to continue his rampage. As you can imagine, chaos ensues, and Myers shows no mercy to the people he encounters. Moreover, Halloween Kills brings back several more characters from the iconic franchise — Anthony Michael Hall plays a grown-up Tommy Doyle, and Kyle Richards will reprise her role as Lindsey Wallace from the 1978 film. Nancy Stephens also returns to the franchise as Marion Chambers, former assistant to Dr. Loomis.
Watch what Kyle Richards, Judy Greer, and Anthony Michael Hall had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about followed by the official synopsis. Finally, this was my first in person interview since COVID began and it was great to actually talk to people face to face and not over Zoom.
Kyle Richards, Judy Greer, and Anthony Michael Hall
What would fans of Halloween be surprised to learn about the making of Halloween Kills?
Kyle Richards talks about filming the scene with alligator handlers in the water and how she was warned to be on the lookout for snakes in the water.
Why do they think Michael Myers and the Halloween franchise has been so popular with so many people for so long?
Were any of the kills in the film too much for them?
https://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/press3.jpg500750adminhttps://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/amh-logo1a.pngadmin2021-10-15 16:40:592021-10-15 16:40:59‘Halloween Kills’: Kyle Richards, Judy Greer, and Anthony Michael Hall on Michael Myers and Why He’s Been Popular For Such a Long Time
October 14, 2021The highly anticipated horror film Halloween Kills is out this week and marks the return of Michael Myers. Joining a cast filled with returning faces is Anthony Michael Hall as Tommy Doyle, who was previously portrayed by Brian Andrews and Paul Rudd.
“Minutes after Laurie Strode, her daughter Karen and granddaughter Allyson left masked monster Michael Myers caged and burning in Laurie’s basement, Laurie is rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, believing she finally killed her lifelong tormentor,” reads the official synopsis. “But when Michael manages to free himself from Laurie’s trap, his ritual bloodbath resumes. As Laurie fights her pain and prepares to defend herself against him, she inspires all of Haddonfield to rise up against their unstoppable monster. The Strode women join a group of other survivors of Michael’s first rampage who decide to take matters into their own hands, forming a vigilante mob that sets out to hunt Michael down, once and for all.”
ComingSoon’s Alyse Wax spoke with Halloween Kills star Anthony Michael Hall about stepping into the franchise, his relationship with the series, and what attracted him to the role.
Alyse Wax: So tell me how familiar were you with the original Halloween?
Anthony Michael Hall: Good question. You know, when it came out in theaters, I was born in ’68, so I’m 53 as I sit here, so I missed it in the theaters, but I remember that was at the beginning of sort of cable television. So I saw it in probably 79 or 80. It was either on Cinemax or Showtime. It had a very tangible effect on me. I remember, I think my parents were out that night and I was watching it. I’ve always had a crush on Jamie Lee Curtis. I haven’t even told her this, but I loved her and I remember how compelling those shots were, where you’re kind of from Michael’s POV and he’s kind of stalking her through the town and the kids are making their way across the street. I mean, I really remember that as a very visceral feeling that the film gives you, there’s that kind of voyeuristic thing. Carpenter’s score and direction. Incredible. So, it left a mark on me as a kid. It did.
So then when the opportunity came for you to play Tommy Doyle, how did that come about?
Well, it was a very fortunate occurrence. Basically I met with David Gordon Green at the end of the summer of 2019 before we made the film. It was at my request before I did my screen test and we just really hit it off. I was able to meet him at his hotel and within five minutes he was just such an open, cool guy, very fluid, very easygoing, great personality. We just talked about his vision for the film. Obviously, the last one we all saw was a massive hit. He did a phenomenal job, so I kind of wanted to just speak to him and get a sense of what his objectives were and how he liked to work and et cetera. Then I did my screen tests and I just kinda tried to rev myself up and give it my all and make those circumstances real.
So I felt very blessed, very privileged, and fortunate when I got the part and super excited because I’ve never been a part of a franchise with the exception of The Dark Knight, which I had kind of a small role in, so this is really exciting for me. I’ve never been in a franchise film that people were, that was so hotly anticipated, so I think it’s that combination of those things, knowing we made a great film, and David and the entire team really delivered. There’s also this great buildup and anticipation with audiences that are excited to see it. So it’s wonderful. A combination of things that have come together.
Being part of a franchise, have you kind of gotten the insanity of it yet? Or is that still building?
I think I know what you’re alluding to. Well this last year with the delay, I’m someone that my wife and I were often on YouTube like a lot of people looking for inspiration, looking for things to watch, and it’s almost like it’s replaced the library for people, right? It’s like a visual library. So, what I’ve done is over the last little year and a half at least, I’ve been watching all these fan sites, reaction videos, people that had comments or commentary about the test screenings and just trying to extract as much information from people that had seen the film. So that really plugged me into the whole fan universe. How beloved the franchise is. I really got a clear picture, particularly in this waiting period of how much this franchise excites people, how much they’re looking forward to it. So all of that adds up to it’s a great feeling. Again, on the flip side of that is knowing that the movie really has impacted and that there’s a groundswell of buzz about it is very exciting. Those things coming together make it an exciting time [that] I really feel very privileged and fortunate for.
So was that all of the research that you did for the film was just watching on YouTube or what did you do?
Honestly, I did look at the original film. I’ve seen a bunch of the others in the interim in that period of time, but I just really kind of dug into it. The script was so solid. I think one of the things that David and Danny [McBride] and Scott Teems have done beautifully is to kind of thread those characters from the original through 2018. Now the universe expands, and not only do they reintroduce us to all these beloved characters, but they also make room for other characters and there’s a lot of great cameos and supporting roles. So I think it’s really an amazing thing that they’re able to do, and they do it quite effortlessly. Because they’ve come from comedy into this world and they’re doing such a phenomenal job. So I think that those two things are the most exciting knowing that we have a great film that packs a punch and knowing that there’s an audience waiting for it is really a great combination.
In this film, you organize a mob of vigilantes. Do you think that this would be the kind of thing that you would do if there were a real Michael Myers that you would have to hunt down?
I mean, me personally, I have this sort of Italian Irish background and descent, so I kind of have a fighter’s mentality and I’ve always kind of applied that to my work. Just kind of being in show business this long. So, I kind of liken it to that in a way. It’s very interesting and fascinating, I think for all of us, how the world strangely with all these things going on societal issues and COVID, and the pandemic and everything, it kind of in strange ways kind of mirrored this world we’ve now seen for two years. So that was obviously unintentional and unplanned, but it’s really interesting too, though. Because I think what’s interesting is that the movie opens and everybody’s at the bar and we’re kind of commiserating about having survived all of his violence and the things that Myers has represented to the town.
But then everybody makes a very specific turn, I feel at least, which is ultimately very heroic. Not just Tommy, but all the characters. Kyle, her character of Lindsay, and Nancy, everybody kind of summons the strength to really combat this evil. They unify not only the survivors but as fighters. That’s the kind of mantra that Jamie kicks in when she says in that scene, “We fight now.” So I think this kind of classic theme of good versus evil, but now the inclusion of the town really summoning something deep within themselves to take him on makes it very special. It also gives us a very specific momentum that charges the movie, and it gives it a lot of energy as it opens.
What do you think is the lasting allure of Michael Myers? Why has he remained so popular for the last 40 years?
That’s a great question. I was doing my homework and watching a bunch of interviews that Jamie Lee and David had done, and David said something really interesting about it. There’s actually a very limited mythology of Myers. When you think about it, we don’t really know what makes him tick, but it’s that idea of storytelling is as old as the world. I think the idea of good versus evil, once again, this character that’s a stalker, he’s a predator, he’s the boogeyman. I think that there are some kind of classical things about this kind of evil character, but at the same time, people love it. Just like they love Laurie and Jamie Lee’s character. So I think it’s a fascinating thing that he kind of embodies and personifies human evil. At the same time, he’s something otherworldly as well because he just represents that kind of darkness in the world.
So I love those kinds of stakes. When I was a part of The Dark Knight or other projects, I love that kind of classic good versus evil approach and the storytelling. So for me, that gave me all I needed to really hit the ground running and to be a fighter as Tommy and to play that heroism, which as I said, I really feel like it’s there for all of us, all the townspeople really summoned that, that heroic intent to really combat him and go against makes it interesting.
https://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/press2.jpg360640adminhttps://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/amh-logo1a.pngadmin2021-10-15 16:23:232021-10-15 16:23:23Halloween Kills Interview: Anthony Michael Hall on Portraying Tommy Doyle
Halloween Kills actor Anthony Michael Hall had a pretty funny encounter with Jamie Lee Curtis when they met for the first time on set of the new sequel.
Hall, best known for starring in the Breakfast Club, has joined the legendary horror franchise playing the grown-up version of Tommy, the youngster who escaped Michael Myers’ clutches in the original 1978 Halloween.
It sounds like the actor was thrown in at the deep end when he met the franchise’s most iconic stars, Curtis, who was ready to give him a bloody welcome.
Recalling their first meeting, Hall told Metro.co.uk: ‘I met her as a kid in the 80s when I was a little boy, and she was really cool then.
‘When I saw her on-set the first time in Willington, North Carolina, the way it was scheduled she started a week or two into production. I was standing by and she was shooting a scene at the Haddonfield hospital, I was lost in my thoughts between takes and all of a sudden I see these two bloody hands appear before my face, and she was like waving her bloody hands.
‘She was already on a stretcher in the aftermath of the last film where it picks up. So the first image I have of Jamie Lee on-set was these two bloodied hands, fake blood, and I could see between the fingers that it was Jamie Lee.
Praising the scream queen, Hall continued: ‘She was awesome, gave me a big hug and welcomed me to the franchise and I have to say that she’s really a stand-out person.
‘Not just as an actress but as a person, she really cares about people… and has grown as a person in her life over the course of her career. As a wife, a mother and a creative she’s a wonderful lady.
‘I saw that on the set, she was very maternal in spirit with the cast and the crew, very loving and cracking jokes making everybody feel comfortable.
‘She was a real pleasure to work with and to work for. She was a great boss and as an actress, she was very giving and can turn it off and on like a faucet, she’s so experienced as an actress it’s like a second nature thing for her.
‘Great to watch and to work with.’
Hall was ‘honoured’ to join the Halloween family and admitted he didn’t find it too ‘daunting’ playing Tommy, who is one of the series’ most-loved characters despite only appearing in the first movie.
Sharing his thoughts on the popularity of the Halloween franchise, the actor said: ‘I think it’s the opposition of good versus evil, whether you’re watching a Marvel film or an old Western, I think that is tried and true.
‘So you have that staple built into the franchise and also, I think just the fascination with the idea of the boogeyman and the embodiment of evil. He’s a stalker, he’s a stalker, all those things but actually we know very little about him or what his motivations are.
‘So all those things create a confluence of really interesting elements that make the movie and the franchise beloved. The hero’s the villain in this case, just like they love seeing Laurie fight him.’
He added: ‘The performances are amazing, Jamie Lee was fantastic, so was Judy [Greer] and Andi [Matichak], they’re really in sync those ladies and they do a great job supporting each other both on and off camera.
‘It was just one of those experiences where it was a great filmmaker, wonderful crew that was totally right there in the trenches making it happen and then a bunch of really fantastic actors that all had a history with each other.
‘There was such good energy on set because everybody wants to make a good film. I’m just so honoured to be part of it.’
https://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/press1.jpg338644adminhttps://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/amh-logo1a.pngadmin2021-10-15 16:16:112021-10-15 16:17:02Halloween Kills’ Anthony Michael Hall recalls ‘bloody’ first meeting with ‘wonderful’ Jamie Lee Curtis on set
“Halloween Kills” slashed its way to $4.9 million in Thursday previews.
The Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions horror flick is the latest blood-soaked installment in the long-running “Halloween” franchise, a series that is firmly in its fifth decade. And despite being comfortably middle-aged, “Halloween Kills” is projected to generate $35 million to $40 million in its first three days of release. That’s a big drop from the $77 million bow that its predecessor, 2018’s “Halloween,” generated in its inaugural weekend, but it’s still an impressive figure. That’s because unlike that earlier entry in the Michael Myers chronicles, “Halloween Kills” will premiere on Peacock, the NBCUniversal-owned streaming service, on the same day as its theatrical release. That could curb ticket sales, as it has for Warner Bros. releases like “The Suicide Squad” and “Cry Macho” which have debuted simultaneously on HBO Max. That’s to say nothing of the ongoing COVID pandemic, which is far, far more dangerous, deadly and disruptive than anything John Carpenter, The Godfather of the “Halloween” franchise, could have cooked up.
“Halloween Kills” will have some competition in the form of 20th Century’s period drama “The Last Duel,” which is aiming to collect a muted $10 million in the U.S. That’s a paltry launch for a film starring Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck, which only delivered $350K in Thursday night previews.
“Halloween Kills” follows Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) after she learns that Myers did not die in the fiery inferno she cooked up at the end of the last movie. Laurie rallies her daughter Karen (Judy Greer), granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and the town of Haddonfield to rise up against Michael Myers as he prepares for his umpteenth blood-letting. There’s already a sequel, “Halloween Ends,” scheduled for Oct. 14, 2022, so chances are she won’t be able to land a fatal blow. David Gordon Green returns behind the camera, having previously helmed 2018’s “Halloween.” In another life, he also oversaw small indies like “Undertow” and “George Washington” before making the move into more mainstream fare like “Pineapple Express.”
https://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hk1.jpg383681adminhttps://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/amh-logo1a.pngadmin2021-10-15 15:14:052021-10-15 15:14:05“Halloween Kills” slashed its way to $4.9 million in Thursday previews.
Hall spoke to Insider and revealed how The Brat Pack in the 1980s was nothing but a media ploy.
He also spoke about his role in “Halloween Kills,” out Friday.
Hall also shared how he regrets not taking the lead in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
When Anthony Michael Hall burst into Hollywood, he quickly became known as the baby-faced sarcastic teen in the John Hughes movies, “Sixteen Candles and “The Breakfast Club.”
It led to instant stardom and an official membership into the beloved 1980s clique, The Brat Pack – the label used in a famous New York Magazine profile in 1985 for the actors who starred in “The Breakfast Club” and “St. Elmo’s Fire.”
But today Hall looks back on all that attention with nothing more than an eye-roll. Don’t get him wrong: He loved the films he starred in, he told Insider, but the idea that he, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, and Andrew McCarthy ever hung out together is a tabloid-induced dream.
“It didn’t exist,” Hall told Insider of the famous group.
It took decades for Hall to run out The Brat Pack label, but when he did he resurfaced as a respected character actor giving impressive performances in such movies as “The Dark Knight,” “Foxcatcher,” and “War Machine.” Now Hall, 53, has nabbed a meaty role as one of the leads in “Halloween Kills.”
In the sequel to the 2018 “Halloween” release, Hall plays the adult version of Tommy Doyle, the young boy, who in the original 1978 “Halloween,” is terrorized by Michael Myers alongside his babysitter, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis). In “Kills,” he leads the town in an uprise against Myers.
Hall chatted with Insider about being part of the beloved franchise, sets the record straight about what The Brat Pack actually was, and explains why he regrets not taking the lead in the 1980s classic “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
Hall said The Brat Pack never existed
In the past decade-plus you have really turned into a reliable character actor compared to your superstardom as a kid. Has that been intentional?
I have always had this workman’s attitude about it. I always knew when I was a kid that I wanted longevity so you don’t often have the luxury of “what part am I playing” or selecting things. So yeah, I just have tried to mix it up.
But even when I was a kid and doing the John Hughes movies and doing one year on “SNL,” I was never in a clique. I never benefited from being in a gang in Hollywood –
Alright, hold on. Hold on. You cannot say you were never in a clique. You were in the clique that started all cliques in modern-day Hollywood. You were a part of the Brat Pack.
Okay, here we go. It didn’t exist. It was a media ploy. Whoever was the editor of New York Magazine at the time, it was a set up. “Let’s get all these guys together and get them talking shit.” The truth is in that time frame, I was at the very young end of that group. I was literally still in high school. When we did “The Breakfast Club,” Emilio and Judd were in their early 20s and they are going out and having beers and I was a teen. So when they did that article I did feel that was a ploy to get all them yapping.
Fellow Brat Packer Andrew McCarthy has said he’s never met you. Is that true?
Yeah. I have never met him.
So my whole childhood has been a lie, thinking all of you were hanging out in the 1980s.
[Laughs.] And I also think audiences want the actors that they watch together in projects to be actually connected in life. They expect that. People will be like, “How are Emilio and Judd?” And I’m like, “I don’t know. I haven’t seen them in 14 years.”
Hall regrets passing on ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day’ off when John Hughes wrote the role for him
Which role do you regret not taking the most: Ferris Bueller or Duckie in “Pretty in Pink?”
Hughes wrote Ferris for me. I was busy with other work so I wasn’t able to do Ferris. It turned out to be the biggest hit he had at that time. And I thought it was a great movie for [Matthew] Broderick and for John [Hughes].
Ducky was also written for me. What happened was when I was a kid, John really wanted me to do both of those projects. To be very frank with you, he was offended and was hurt that I didn’t do the roles and we started to lose touch after that.
It’s one of the saddest things of my life because I loved the guy. He was a big brother to me. I spent a lot of personal time with him. I was his third kid. Back in the day when we did those films, I would hang out with him, and his wife, and two kids, so I was their third son in a way. I had a real close relationship with John.
Did it hurt you that he didn’t understand you wanted to spread your wings beyond him?
You have to remember, he wrote all these movies and there was a high level of sensitivity, almost like he still was a teenager in some regards because he would take things very personal.
If you could have talked to him before he passed away in 2009, which role would you say to him you should have done?
It would be Ferris because what I felt reading “Pretty in Pink” was it felt like a reboot of “Sixteen Candles.” The girl wants the handsome kid and the dorky kid is after her. To me it was replicating “Sixteen Candles.” But I thought there was a real uniqueness to Ferris. I thought that would have been a lot of fun.
If you think back at “Sixteen Candles” – that scene where I’m with the prom queen and I crash the Rolls-Royce and I break the fourth wall and I look into the camera? There’s the basis for Ferris. We discovered on set together. He would see that would work and that led to him creating a character like Ferris, who is always breaking the fourth wall.
Hall said he learned Paul Rudd was excited he was playing Tommy Doyle
So what is your take on Tommy, the repeated survivor in the “Halloween” franchise? Is he a good guy in your eyes?
I totally think so. [“Halloween Kills” director] David Gordon Green gave me this hero’s part, which is incredible. A lot has been said about this mob mentality in the film and the fact that with all the societal issues that have happened in the past few years since this movie was made, it’s almost like life is imitating art.
Is it different watching it now compared to when you made it due to the world being so crazy since then? The riot in the hospital has this feel of the Capitol riots.
Yeah, but it’s all happenstance.
I know the Blumhouse movies are ignoring the “Halloween” sequels that have been made, but did you do a deep dive into how Tommy is portrayed in other Halloween movies?
Honestly, I love what you said. I did none of that. [Laughs.] But I was taken off guard by one thing: A couple of weeks into the shoot, David texted me and said he got a call from Paul Rudd and he was excited I was playing the part. So I did get the blessing from one past Tommy Doyle.
https://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/amh.jpg529705adminhttps://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/amh-logo1a.pngadmin2021-10-15 14:51:172021-10-15 14:59:47Anthony Michael Hall reveals that The Brat Pack never existed and why he's excited to play the hero in 'Halloween Kills'
If 2020 had unfolded as planned, we’d have all seen Halloween Kills by now. It was originally supposed to come out on October 16, but was bumped a whole year due to an enemy far more dangerous than the HalloGreen franchise’s 61-year old killer of podcasters.
Today, to celebrate our sad, pitiful holiday, we guess, Blumhouse has offered a fun-sized trailer for the festivities that are still so very far away.
The teaser arrived during Blumfest’s Halloween Kills panel today, with director David Gordon Green promising “twice the thrills and 10 times the kills.” And, while only 36 seconds, there’s plenty of new footage crammed in there. We see Michael’s melty mask, as well as familiar faces that include Nancy Stephens and Kyle Richards, reprising their roles as Nurse Marion Chambers and Lindsey Wallace, respectively. Most exciting, however, is our first proper glimpse of Anthony Michael Hall’s Tommy Doyle, bat in hand. Sure, it would’ve been cool if Paul “Stephen” Rudd had reprised his role from The Curse Of Michael Myers, but Hall’s no slouch.
We watched all eight Halloween movies so you don’t have to
Green’s comments about there being “10 times the kills” echoes remarks from producer Jason Blum, who earlier this year called it a “very big movie.” Cult of Thorn big? We’ll find out on October 15, 2021.
https://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/halloween-kills-teaser.png450800adminhttps://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/amh-logo1a.pngadmin2020-10-30 10:49:592020-10-30 10:49:59Hey, that's Anthony Michael Hall's Tommy Doyle in the new Halloween Kills teaser
In this year’s horror sequel Halloween Kills, Anthony Michael Hall will be playing the adult version of Tommy Doyle, one of the two children babysat by Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) in the original movie. Longtime fans of the series will know that Hall is not the only person to play an older version of the character, as Paul Rudd famously played the part in 1995. The role may now be changing hands once again, but from one Tommy Doyle to another, Rudd offered Hall his support in taking on the role.
Recently, Anthony Michael Hall spoke about his role in Halloween Kills in a new interview. The actor revealed that Rudd called director David Gordon Green during the shoot, and it sounds like he’s thrilled to have Hall playing Tommy Doyle next. After Rudd told Green how happy he was for Hall to step into the role, Green passed the word along to Hall himself with a text, and it seems like it was a great moment for the actor. As Hall explains:
“So one day, David Gordon Green texts me when I’m off – I wasn’t shooting that day – and he goes, ‘Yeah, I got a call from Paul Rudd, and he sends his best and he gave you his blessings – he’s really excited that you’re playing the part.’ I never met Paul Rudd but I thought that was really nice.”
Hall will be the fourth actor to take on the role of Tommy Doyle in the Halloween franchise. The character was first portrayed by child actor Brian Andrews in the original movie from 1978, alongside Kyle Richards as Lindsay Wallace. Rudd then took over the role in the 1995 sequel Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers, playing an older version of the character. Rob Zombie’s 2007 reboot then brought in Skyler Gisondo to play the part, giving us our third Tommy Doyle. Reportedly, Rudd was also in consideration to reprise the role for Halloween Kills, though his role in Ghostbusters: Afterlife prevented the possibility.
https://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/halloween-kills2.jpg6321200adminhttps://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/amh-logo1a.pngadmin2020-02-19 04:06:172020-02-19 04:06:17Halloween Kills: Anthony Michael Hall Gets Paul Rudd's Blessing as the New Tommy Doyle
It might be a little bit before we get to see a full trailer for Halloween Kills, the upcoming sequel to 2018’s Halloween, but we’ve got some idea of what to expect, thanks to actor James Jude Courtney. Nick Castle is the man who originally brought Michael Myers to life and, while he’s been present in these new movies, it’s been Courtney who has been doing the heavy lifting. Now, Courtney has opened up a bit about the movie, saying that they won’t just be repeating what’s come before.
At this point, not much can be said as details regarding the sequel are being kept tightly under wraps. We know it will pick up after the events of the previous movie, meaning that, presumably, Michael Myers survived his seemingly fiery demise. James Jude Courtney, in a recent interview, had this to say about how Halloween Kills will move things forward.
Following the success of Halloween, Blumhouse Productions and Universal were quick to lock down the cast, as well as director David Gordon Green for more. In this case, not just one, but two additional sequels that will definitively conclude this version of the franchise. Halloween Kills wrapped filming in November 2019, with Halloween Ends expected to begin filming sometime this year.
Jamie Lee Curtis will once again be portraying Laurie Strode in the sequel. Some other characters from the franchise’s long history will also be involved, including Kyle Richards as Lindsey Wallace, Tommy Doyle, played this time by Anthony Michael Hall, and Robert Longstreet as Lonnie Elam. It’s also expected that Judy Greer will return as Karen, Laurie’s daughter, with Andi Matichack coming back as Allyson, Laurie’s granddaughter. Original director John Carpenter will once again serve as an executive producer, in addition to providing the score for the movie’s soundtrack.
Halloween managed to successfully revive the iconic horror series after nearly a decade away. Critics responded rather kindly to it and the movie grossed an impressive $255 million worldwide, working from a comparatively tiny $10 million production budget. Instead of anchoring itself to the complex mythology created by later sequels, the movie served as a direct sequel to John Carpenter’s 1978 classic, which proved to be a wise decision. Halloween Kills is set to arrive in theaters on October 16, 2020, with Halloween Ends scheduled to arrive a year later on on October 15, 2021.
https://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/halloween-kills.jpg750750adminhttps://www.theanthonymichaelhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/amh-logo1a.pngadmin2020-02-19 03:54:402020-02-19 03:54:40Halloween Kills Is the 2018 Reboot on Speed
“Minutes after Laurie Strode, her daughter Karen and granddaughter Allyson left masked monster Michael Myers caged and burning in Laurie’s basement, Laurie is rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, believing she finally killed her lifelong tormentor,” reads the official synopsis. “But when Michael manages to free himself from Laurie’s trap, his ritual bloodbath resumes. As Laurie fights her pain and prepares to defend herself against him, she inspires all of Haddonfield to rise up against their unstoppable monster. The Strode women join a group of other survivors of Michael’s first rampage who decide to take matters into their own hands, forming a vigilante mob that sets out to hunt Michael down, once and for all.”
ComingSoon’s Alyse Wax spoke with Halloween Kills star Anthony Michael Hall about stepping into the franchise, his relationship with the series, and what attracted him to the role.
Alyse Wax: So tell me how familiar were you with the original Halloween?
Anthony Michael Hall: Good question. You know, when it came out in theaters, I was born in ’68, so I’m 53 as I sit here, so I missed it in the theaters, but I remember that was at the beginning of sort of cable television. So I saw it in probably 79 or 80. It was either on Cinemax or Showtime. It had a very tangible effect on me. I remember, I think my parents were out that night and I was watching it. I’ve always had a crush on Jamie Lee Curtis. I haven’t even told her this, but I loved her and I remember how compelling those shots were, where you’re kind of from Michael’s POV and he’s kind of stalking her through the town and the kids are making their way across the street. I mean, I really remember that as a very visceral feeling that the film gives you, there’s that kind of voyeuristic thing. Carpenter’s score and direction. Incredible. So, it left a mark on me as a kid. It did.
So then when the opportunity came for you to play Tommy Doyle, how did that come about?
Well, it was a very fortunate occurrence. Basically I met with David Gordon Green at the end of the summer of 2019 before we made the film. It was at my request before I did my screen test and we just really hit it off. I was able to meet him at his hotel and within five minutes he was just such an open, cool guy, very fluid, very easygoing, great personality. We just talked about his vision for the film. Obviously, the last one we all saw was a massive hit. He did a phenomenal job, so I kind of wanted to just speak to him and get a sense of what his objectives were and how he liked to work and et cetera. Then I did my screen tests and I just kinda tried to rev myself up and give it my all and make those circumstances real.
So I felt very blessed, very privileged, and fortunate when I got the part and super excited because I’ve never been a part of a franchise with the exception of The Dark Knight, which I had kind of a small role in, so this is really exciting for me. I’ve never been in a franchise film that people were, that was so hotly anticipated, so I think it’s that combination of those things, knowing we made a great film, and David and the entire team really delivered. There’s also this great buildup and anticipation with audiences that are excited to see it. So it’s wonderful. A combination of things that have come together.
Being part of a franchise, have you kind of gotten the insanity of it yet? Or is that still building?
I think I know what you’re alluding to. Well this last year with the delay, I’m someone that my wife and I were often on YouTube like a lot of people looking for inspiration, looking for things to watch, and it’s almost like it’s replaced the library for people, right? It’s like a visual library. So, what I’ve done is over the last little year and a half at least, I’ve been watching all these fan sites, reaction videos, people that had comments or commentary about the test screenings and just trying to extract as much information from people that had seen the film. So that really plugged me into the whole fan universe. How beloved the franchise is. I really got a clear picture, particularly in this waiting period of how much this franchise excites people, how much they’re looking forward to it. So all of that adds up to it’s a great feeling. Again, on the flip side of that is knowing that the movie really has impacted and that there’s a groundswell of buzz about it is very exciting. Those things coming together make it an exciting time [that] I really feel very privileged and fortunate for.
So was that all of the research that you did for the film was just watching on YouTube or what did you do?
Honestly, I did look at the original film. I’ve seen a bunch of the others in the interim in that period of time, but I just really kind of dug into it. The script was so solid. I think one of the things that David and Danny [McBride] and Scott Teems have done beautifully is to kind of thread those characters from the original through 2018. Now the universe expands, and not only do they reintroduce us to all these beloved characters, but they also make room for other characters and there’s a lot of great cameos and supporting roles. So I think it’s really an amazing thing that they’re able to do, and they do it quite effortlessly. Because they’ve come from comedy into this world and they’re doing such a phenomenal job. So I think that those two things are the most exciting knowing that we have a great film that packs a punch and knowing that there’s an audience waiting for it is really a great combination.
In this film, you organize a mob of vigilantes. Do you think that this would be the kind of thing that you would do if there were a real Michael Myers that you would have to hunt down?
I mean, me personally, I have this sort of Italian Irish background and descent, so I kind of have a fighter’s mentality and I’ve always kind of applied that to my work. Just kind of being in show business this long. So, I kind of liken it to that in a way. It’s very interesting and fascinating, I think for all of us, how the world strangely with all these things going on societal issues and COVID, and the pandemic and everything, it kind of in strange ways kind of mirrored this world we’ve now seen for two years. So that was obviously unintentional and unplanned, but it’s really interesting too, though. Because I think what’s interesting is that the movie opens and everybody’s at the bar and we’re kind of commiserating about having survived all of his violence and the things that Myers has represented to the town.
But then everybody makes a very specific turn, I feel at least, which is ultimately very heroic. Not just Tommy, but all the characters. Kyle, her character of Lindsay, and Nancy, everybody kind of summons the strength to really combat this evil. They unify not only the survivors but as fighters. That’s the kind of mantra that Jamie kicks in when she says in that scene, “We fight now.” So I think this kind of classic theme of good versus evil, but now the inclusion of the town really summoning something deep within themselves to take him on makes it very special. It also gives us a very specific momentum that charges the movie, and it gives it a lot of energy as it opens.
What do you think is the lasting allure of Michael Myers? Why has he remained so popular for the last 40 years?
That’s a great question. I was doing my homework and watching a bunch of interviews that Jamie Lee and David had done, and David said something really interesting about it. There’s actually a very limited mythology of Myers. When you think about it, we don’t really know what makes him tick, but it’s that idea of storytelling is as old as the world. I think the idea of good versus evil, once again, this character that’s a stalker, he’s a predator, he’s the boogeyman. I think that there are some kind of classical things about this kind of evil character, but at the same time, people love it. Just like they love Laurie and Jamie Lee’s character. So I think it’s a fascinating thing that he kind of embodies and personifies human evil. At the same time, he’s something otherworldly as well because he just represents that kind of darkness in the world.
So I love those kinds of stakes. When I was a part of The Dark Knight or other projects, I love that kind of classic good versus evil approach and the storytelling. So for me, that gave me all I needed to really hit the ground running and to be a fighter as Tommy and to play that heroism, which as I said, I really feel like it’s there for all of us, all the townspeople really summoned that, that heroic intent to really combat him and go against makes it interesting.